VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ASSET MAPPING

Volunteers will "Walk the Walk" March 23 as part of the Caring Communities' neighborhood asset-mapping project in Cape Girardeau.

The project will focus on neighborhoods surrounding May Greene, Washington, Franklin and Jefferson schools, and volunteers will ask residents to identify what they consider to be strengths and services in those areas, organizers say.

"The information is going to help us identify assets that are not being mapped there in the neighborhoods so that people can become more self-sufficient in those neighborhoods," said Beth Schmucker, an organizer.

The mapping project will help identify gaps in services that need to be addressed, she said.

The survey originally had been scheduled in December, but was canceled because of bad weather.

"We're going to try it again," said Shirley Ramsey, executive coordinator of the Community Caring Council, which oversees the project.

Some of the work for the project already has begun as volunteers have set up a database and begun entering information about the neighborhoods and residents, she said.

Volunteers will gather at 8 a.m. at May Greene School for breakfast and training.

Surveys will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until noon for the May Greene and Jefferson schools neighborhoods, Ramsey said.

Volunteers will break for lunch and another training session at noon at Franklin School, and surveys will begin at 1 p.m. for the Franklin and Washington schools neighborhoods, she said.

"We're planning to do it a little differently this time," she said, adding that volunteers will be able to choose whichever session they can work.

"We're hoping people can volunteer for both sessions, but this allows for anyone to work in the morning or in the afternoon to just do one shift," Ramsey said.

Organizers hope to have about 200 volunteers to get the surveys done, "but the more the better," she said.

As an added bonus, $20 will be donated to local non-profit organizations and charities on behalf of each volunteer working each shift, Schmucker said.

Volunteers will be wearing "neon-colored caps," Ramsey said, to help residents identify them.

For more information or to volunteer, call Caring Communities at 651-2317 or the Community Caring Council at 651-2099.